The joy of a whole advent calendar of whisky to explore is that every day brings a surprise, whether it’s something never tried before or an old friend.

Today is somewhere inbetween the two; I’ve previously tried today’s whisky’s younger brother, so it will be interesting to see if I enjoy this batch as much as that.

Arran Batch 3 is visually very similar to the Batch 4; very pale, and almost as strong at 51.5% ABV.

The nose is light and lemony with just a little sugar sweetness. Over time, the fruit shifts, becoming closer to gooseberries and reveals some woody spices too.

With water, deeper aromas emerge; digestive biscuits and hints of coffee start to replace the lemons, but there’s still a nice fruity dimension present.

In the mouth it’s sweet and light; gently spiced lemons with just a touch of cocoa in the finish. Watered, that sweetness is enhanced with red berries and allspice. The fruit flavours become almost tropical as the whisky sits on the tongue, bringing cinnamon-dusted pineapple.

Distinctly different from the Batch 4 version, but still just as delicious – 4 stars!

Many thanks to Master Of Malt for providing their That Boutique-y Whisky Company Advent Calendar this year.